Consumer Fraud Reporting
Spyware Programs
Reporting on the Latest Frauds, Scams, Fake Lotteries, Spams and Hoaxes

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Spyware Programs

Significant and Current Known Spyware

The following list of spyware programs classifies them by their effects for illustrative purposes. For a more complete list click here!

Malware containing email:

Generating pop-ups:

  • 180 Solutions
  • DirectRevenue
  • lop.com (advertising, pop ups, security risk, tries to dial out at random)

Generating pop-ups, damaging and/or slowing computers:

  • Bonzi Buddy
  • Cydoor
  • Gator, made by the Claria Corporation (Advertising, pop ups, privacy violation, significant security risk, partially disables firewalls, some stability issues. Gator has a reputation as difficult to remove once installed.) This is one of the worst!
  • New.net (security risk, stability issues, common cause of inability to connect)
  • ShopAtHomeSearch

Hijacking browsers:

  • CoolWebSearch - a well-known browser hijacker; some variants have a reputation for damaging the TCP stack when forcibly uninstalled
  • Euniverse
  • Xupiter

Committing fraud:

  • XXXDial

Stealing information:

  • Back Orifice (arguably better categorized as a Trojan Horse, since it has no commercial motive. It also has legitimate uses such as remote administration.)

Masquerading as a spyware-remover:

  • SpyKiller - Don't think this program will help you - it IS spyware!

Miscellaneous:

  • Internet Optimizer (Advertising, fake alert messages, possible privacy violation, security risk)
  • MarketScore (Claims to speed up Internet connections: serious privacy violation, loss of Internet connection on some systems)
  • CnsMin (Made in China; privacy violation. Preset in many Japanese PCs as JWord!)

Programs known to be bundling adware

  • Kazaa
  • Bearshare
  • DivX (except for the paid version, and the 'standard' version without the encoder)
  • Note: Also any related P2P networking software may also contain some type of known spyware. Users should read software licenses carefully.

For More Information About Spyware and Adware, See:


 


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